TCKP confers 'Hunar-e-Hawwa' awards

Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) has conferred special Hunar-e-Hawwa awards on skilled women of the province to acknowledge their achievements and services for the country and society during a ceremony. Dr Mehr Taj Roghani was the chief guest on the occasion. A committee was constituted with Deputy Secretary Sports and Tourism Adil Safi as chairman to introduce the distinctive awards and select the outstanding women who have excelled in different fields of life.
Section Officer Tourism Tauseef Khan, Section Officer Sports Haseeb Khan, Section Officer (general) Khalid Khan, Youth Development Programme Zahoor Durrani, Project Director Walled City Project Naeem Safi and Advisor Tourism Dr Ali Jan were the members of the committee. The awards were divided into different categories, including health, politics, sports, art, law enforcement, civil service, religious sector, entrepreneur, social activism, science & technology, education, media and special youth award.
The first award in health category was conferred upon Sania Nishtar, who is founder of Heartfile, Health Policy Forum, member of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), recipient of Sitara-e-Imtiaz and winner of European Society Population Award Medical Mission Hall of Fame Toledo Ohio.
Dr Safoora Shahid is another winner of the award. She is an oncologist and expert of breast cancer treatment. Begum Nasim Wali Khan has been selected for the award in politics category. She is the first female in the history of KP to contest general elections and won the seat, served as first female parliamentary leader and provincial president of affiliated party. Others are Nadia Sher, youngest MPA in KP, Badam Zari, first female from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), who contested general elections 2013 independently, Nusrat Begum, first female of Malakand Agency to contest general elections of 2013 independently, Miraj Hamayun Khan, political and social activist, who was awarded with Aizaz-e-Fazeelat award for education in 2002 by the President of Pakistan.
Awards in sports category went to Sadia Gul, youngest squash champion from Fata, Haleema Qayur, national cycle champion from KP, Maria Toorpakai, Pakistan's top female squash player and 49th in the world ranking. She belongs to South Waziristan Agency, Sana Mir, Pakistan Women Cricket team captain born in Abbottabad. She is the only Pakistani female player to be in top 20 list.
Zarsanga, the senior most folk singer from KP, Zaibun Nisa Bangash, from Zeb & Haniya Band, Laila Khan, famous for her fusion song which was sung in 5 languages (French, English, Arabic, Urdu and Pashto), Haseena Gul Tanha, author of more than eight books on poetry, Shazma Haleem, the senior most artiste, were conferred upon the special awards.
The Law Enforcement/Civil Service awards was conferred on Aneela Naz, who is one of the few women serving the police for almost two decades, Shazia Menhaj, serving in PAF with an excellent record, Major Dr Sabahat, serving in Pakistan Army and was appointed in Bajaur Agency after her husband's death.
Rafia Qaseem Baig, who is serving in Police Department, is the only female who fought from the front at Matani operation received Law Enforcement/Civil Service award besides Ammara Amir Khattak, the first Deputy Commissioner, Abbottabad. She has also been awarded for her services rendered for the people with disability. She also introduced the first-ever medicine bank at Abbottabad which would soon be extended to other provinces also and Fazeelat Jahan, young Provincial Management Services (PMS) officer from Lakki Marwat presently posted as Assistant Commissioner, Hayatabad, who in a short span of time cleared her area of jurisdiction from all kinds of encroachments.
The awards in religious sector went to Dr Samia Raheel Qazi, the only female member of Council Islamic Ideology of Pakistan and former member of National Assembly, Milad Gul, member of Kalash community who won first minorities seat, Ayesha Syed, Deputy Secretary General Jamaat-i-Islami Women Wing and General Secretary of JI KP chapter. She is among the top three women parliamentarians
The winners for awards in social activism category were Mussarat Qadeem, the founder of PAIMAN Trust, established the country's first centre for conflict transformation, Nafeesa Inayat, a recipient of Sitara-i-Imtiaz and has been given the title of "Mother Teresa" by international media for her distinguished work in social sector, Gulalai Ismail, a human rights activist and chairperson of Aware Girls, Maryam Bibi, founder of Khewando Kor, Azra Masood Alizai, first female Tamgha-i-Shujat winner.
Faria Malik, a PAF aeronautical engineer, Kulsoom, a civil engineer were awarded with Science & Technology award. The awards in education category was given to Dr Mehr Bano, an author of several books, member ethics committee and chairperson of Department of Psychology twice, Dr Noor Jahan, the first woman vice chancellor of University of Swabi. Noorena Shams, squash player has been selected for the Special Youth Award.
Bibi Jan is a young girl of Chitral who is often given the title of Female "Robin Hood". She has provided teaching facility to around 1000 female students without any government or private support. The awards in media category went to Mariana Babar, Sadia Qasim Shah, journalist who has contributed reports, interviews, features and magazine programmes to Pakistan's leading English language newspaper, Farzana Ali Khan, the first and youngest Bureau Chief of private channel Peshawar, Fahmida Butt, the producer and host of programme "Dil Peshori" which had more than 100 episodes.
TCKP has also conferred Special Hunar-e-Hawwa awards for Saira Shamsul Qamar, elected member from Lower Dir, first female poet of Lower Dir, member Mobility International USA & National Forum for Women with Disability, Afshan Afridi, KP co-ordinator Disability Forum and master trainer in disability sector, Sabeeha, a lecturer and member Public Service Commission, Tayyaba Hamayun, Implementation Officer at National Bank of Pakistan.